Yarn Crafting API (Helpful Resources)

Here is a list of links, separated by category, that I have found helpful in my yarn crafting escapades. I'll add links as I come across them.

[Right now, this is a work in progress]

Knitting

Basic Stitches and Learning to Knit 

• KnittingHelp.com has videos on all basic stitches in the most popular styles.


• TECHKnitting Posts for the Basics
• English vs. Continental Style
• English Knit Stitch
• English Purl Stitch
• Continental Knit Stitch 
• Continental Purl Stitch 


•  Norwegian Purling (YouTube video) is another way of purling continental style


• Annie Modsitt's Combination Knitting Guide
• Knit Stitch
• Purl Stitch
• Decreasing, including translation chart between Western style decreases (which most patterns use) and what you need to do in combination knitting


• And, of course, my post on the different styles

Techniques and Tricks

• Cabling without a cable needle.  Makes cables so much fun.


• A better way of picking up stitches (guide is for sock gussets, but I've found it works for almost any case).


• Weaving in ends as you go (same color only)


• Sewing in the sleeves to a sweater Part 1 Part 2


• Short Rows
• A free online class on short rows, if you don't mind wasting a few hours.
• The basics of wrap and turn, if you don't have the time.
• A good YouTube-hosted video on wrap and turn, also if you don't have much time.


• How to make sewn button loops (I used this in my Twisted X cowl pattern)

General Resources, Or Where to Go When You Have No Clue 

• I usually just Google it when I have no clue, but that gets me about 30% good stuff, 50% OK I can see what you're doing but this resource isn't that good, and 20% crap, so you may not want to go that route first.  Ditto YouTube.  Always worth a shot, though.


• TECHKnitting is a blog of someone who knows damn well what she's doing, and will not only cover the how-to, but also why it works and the pros and cons of it.  A lot of different topics are covered, more than I know of, so it's worth searching. Go here for the handy list of posts alphabetized by title.

Crochet

Getting Started, or How do I Hold This Stuff?

• CrochetSpot has a decent post on how to hold a crochet hook and how to hold the yarn that covers the main variations out there.


•  In the same vein, NexStitch also covers how to hold the yarn and hook on one page.


•   And of course there's always the For Dummies site on how to hold a crochet hook.


•  My post about this topic is here (it contains a few extra links that are good examples but not necessarily good directions).

Learning the Stitches

• [Coming soon!]

Techniques and Tricks

• [Coming soon!]

Tools of the Trade

Yarn, the Common Ingredient

• [Coming soon!]

Where Do I Get...?

• [Coming soon!]

 (If you don't get the title joke, glance at this Wikipedia page and then think of it being used as a 'wait, how exactly do I use that again?' manner)